A Simple Man
by mutedowl
Summary: Naruto struggles while being Hokage, and Hinata is the only person who can help.


Title: A Simple Man

Rating: PG

Genre: Angst/Romance/Fluff

Summary: Naruto ponders about Hinata in a way he'd never done before.

Note: Forgive me if theres an excessive amount of OOC-ness, I just wanted to experiment with Naruto being an insecure and troubled Hokage and NaruHina having more depth. Hope you enjoy. :)

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><p><em>If I was a simple man,<em>

_Would we still walk hand in hand?_

_And if I suddenly went blind,_

_Would you still look in my eyes?_

_What happens when I grow old?_

_And all my stories have been told?_

_Will your heart still race for me?_

_Or will it march to a new beat?_

_If I was a simple man_

_-City & Colour, Sometimes (I Wish)_

Often times when Naruto looked at Hinata, he didn't see her as everyone else viewed her. Others might have seen her in a positive light, and other might not have. An heiress, a byaakugan user, shy, quiet, weak, strong. No, Naruto couldn't describe her in such vague terms. Her appearance was as simple as a pretty rose, but inside she was as complex as a thousand-piece puzzle. She was everything to him, but Naruto didn't deserve her.

He put the village before her many times. He never had time for her. He brushed off her needs sometimes, but she never complained. It made him angry, furious sometimes. She let him disregard her too many times and as he looked at this little white note left in his lunch packet, he could only clench his fists with anger at himself.

"_Dattebayo, Naruto-kun!_" It read in small, careful letters. It was neatly placed next to his homemade ramen. He smiled. The term reminded him of simpler times, when he was young and reckless. Hinata knew exactly what to say and do to comfort Naruto and the most crucial times. Especially now, in recent years since he'd become Hokage. Thats why he married her, he was just lucky enough to recieve such an affectionate wife.

He worried sometimes. He hated himself for it, but Hinata had suitors. Naruto was Hokage, and his life was in danger almost everyday. He felt that other men in the village liked to take advantage of that thought and liked to make a good impression on Hinata in case anything ever happened to Naruto. He was especially suspicious of Kiba. Kiba often pursued her company and Naruto had found him various times visiting her when he was on his way back home.

But Naruto had grown to be a bitter cynical man after the death of his bestfriend. He blamed himself more than anyone, and often times replayed the moment in his mind. He couldn't trust or open up entirely to anyone except Hinata and overreacted when he believed she'd betrayed his trust. She was everything to him now, and the mere thought of adultery made him grow insane.

Naruto threw tantrums and violent outbursts, much like the one he'd thrown yesterday night when he came home to find Kiba sharing a cup of tea with his wife. He was tired, his stressed his thoughts all day, analyzing paperwork and having conferences about the future of the ninja world. Kiba was the last person he wanted to see at home. He was bound to have a nervous breakdown.

He took him by the shirt and threw him out of their home, muttering threats and inaudible cuss words. Hinata only tried to speak calmly as Naruto raged through their house, throwing a couple lamps against the floor, punching his fists though walls and accusing Hinata of the most unspeakable acts. Naruto shook his head in shame now, remembering the cruel words he'd called her.

But that was when Hinata stood up to him. Hinata was strong, more emotionally than physically, so when Naruto had the nerve to put her down - thats when she drew the line. Only she knew the words that could dig under his skin. That's when she started to rage as well, veins pulsating against her pale skin. Hinata hissed equally insulting remarks. She took his hand in her's, digging her nails in his palm.

"You're just like my father." She rolled her eyes, pretending the words hadn't hurt her. But that's when Naruto stopped speaking, the words she'd huffed insulting him more than anything he'd ever been called in his life. She stormed into their bedroom then, and gave him a couple minutes to cool down.

Hinata told him countless stories of times when her father emotionally damaged her, making her feel like she wasn't enough for years. Naruto didn't want to be Hiashi.

After Hinata and Naruto fought, Naruto was always the first one to apologize. Hinata had her streak of stubborness as well, but it didn't take her long to let her guard down when Naruto kissed her hands and said "I'm sorry." She could only embrace him tightly, rocking him like a child that he still was inside.

She knew the stress and pressure he was under.

Naruto was aware only Hinata knew it all boiled down to Sasuke's death and the vague belief that he'd let Sakura down, and most importantly himself down. Why the promise he'd made to Sakura years ago still haunted him, Hinata would never know. He'd saved the village countless times, fighting off the most evil of villains. Why did a small promise like that affect his confidence so much?

"But how can I be an appropriate Hokage knowing I couldn't save my bestfriend?" He often argued.

She hushed him, rocking him lightly with her fingers rumaging affectionately through his hair. He'd confessed that it helped him calm down immensely long ago. She did so until they both drifted into sleep.

Naruto wasn't a simple man, Hinata of all people knew that. But she would've left years ago if she didn't know what she was getting into, she'd often told him.

That afternoon, he came home to find Hinata alone. She was napping on the couch, hair tousled and Naruto's old orange jacket covering her as a blanket. His heart swelled, grinning. Hinata was the spitting image of an angel when asleep, Naruto swiftly walked over to her, and got on his knee's to be at level with her face.

"Hinata-chan." He whispered, poking her nose with his own. She wrinkled her nose in response, opening her bottomless pearly eyes slowly. "Naruto?" She whispered, startled. "What are you doing home so early? Are you okay? What happened?" She started to panic, blinking her eyes rapidly, feeling his face with the back of her palm like she was checking for a fever.

Naruto laughed, "I just wanted to spend time with you." He confessed, playfully plopping his body ontop of hers, "Naruto!" She whined, her words muffled by his shirt. He scooted down, resting his head onto her chest. "What?" She fussed, confused. "I love you." He responded, burrowing his head deeper into her chest, between her breasts. He looked up only to find her blushing immensely, it was funny to Naruto how in the most subtle ways Hinata was still very shy with him. Despite being married for five years now.

"What, you don't love me back?" He retorted playfully, quickly tracing his fingers over her sides. It was Hinata's most vulnerable ticklish spot. She started to giggle and snort uncontrollably, "No!" She protested between breaths, "I love you, I love you! Stop!" She pleaded, flailing her arms frantically.

"Thought so." He smirked. She was his rock, and there was no way Naruto could be Hokage without her.


End file.
